Search the Community

Hey guys! Hope everyone is enjoying their Friday. Couple quick questions that I'd like anyone's opinion on.. #1- I know there are premade shakes that you can buy at the store, however, I am a busy girl on a budget. I have been making Protein shakes from my Protein powder and soy milk each morning. I will make one drink it immediately and then right before work I will make another one for lunch and have it in the fridge until I am ready for it. Pre-made would be MUCH easier but with saving for being out of work for two weeks (silly me did not elect for short term disability this year) it just isn't doable right now. So, I was wondering if anyone went ahead and premade 5-6 cups or however much a blender would hold of the protein powder shakes and just stored them in the fridge until they were ready for them? I figured i could make a big batch ahead of time and then measure out as I'm going. Has anyone done this and was it easier? Also, the consistency. i wouldnt want it to get a weird consistency like sometimes shakes do. #2- (and this one might be a tmi) I am having a weird time going to the restroom. Did the liquid diet mess with anyone elses bowel movements? Other than that, day 5 is going good. I slipped on day 2 and then gave my debit card to a trusted source so I wouldnt be able to have easy access to cheat.. and once I did that it was smooth sailing. Today the hungry feeling has come back but i think it is all in my head because I got my card back (haha). I have ignored the feeling though and am excited at my will power. the guilt from day 2 was enough to not want that solid food anymore.

Thanks for all the well wishes from everyone! I am home today, doing pretty well I think, pain isn't too bad I didn't take any narcotics while in the hospital except the percocet that one time. They did send me home with a Loritab script and I took it once this afternoon, no problems keeping that down and it basically put me to sleep for a little while. Last night I had terrible knots in my throat/stomach every time I sipped anything it would feel like it was stuck, then I could feel it move, then another know again and so on. This morning i felt good and was able to finally pass gas, TMI I know but they wouldnt' let me leave until I did that. I have some knots again tonight. I drank a whole Isopure today with quite a bit of Water and a couple ounces of chicken broth. I definitely don't want to get dehydrated. My Aunt and Uncle came to see me last night at the hospital, so nice of them and they gave me a gift card to Kohl's so I can go shopping once I lose some of the weight., they are awesome people. In addition to the Loritab script I was sent home with an Aciphex script which is not covered by my insurance so they told me just to get the prevacid instead. A Lovenox script I have to inject myself with that every day, piece of cake actually and I was worried about doing it and a Vitamin D script which is once a week for 4 weeks 50,000 units. Did anyone else get this? I wasn't aware they gave this and why. Tuesday I can move to full liquids and looking forward to it already. Then next Friday, the 13th I have an appt with my surgeon and he will let me know when I can progress to purees.

Hopefully I wont be too shocked at my wrinkly appearance when the time comes. I have tried to mentally prepare myself for the ugly, saggy skin. I hope to be able to get a tummy tuck some lipo on my inner thighs and a body lift. We'll see, since I have no clue what all that will cost. It is amazing to me already just how much my body has changed. Sex is now amazing, it always was good but now that he can get his arms around me and I am much more limber from exercising and my fat no longer inhibits us from other positions. Sorry for TMI but I just had to share.

I am very curious about what others might say to you. I'm in a similar situation. I've started by drinking 64 oz of water/crystal light every day--a totally new habit for me. I've also cut my 3 cup of coffee habit back to one, with a goal for being caffeine-free by mid-August (my surgery is 8/26). I've started to think more about chewing, and you're right--it is really difficult. I find that my jaw gets tired and (tmi) I get more food stuck in my teeth. I guess the upside is that I'm flossing after every meal! I haven't started avoiding fluids with food yet, but that is another goal. The boredom while eating is something very familiar to me, too! I don't know why--food is such a pleasure, and yet I wolf it down while reading or on the computer all the time! I don't understand the habit, and yet I know it's a large part of my weight problems in the first place. Why do I do it? Best wishes to you moving forward!

I am only 17 days out but I can tell you that I am staying thirsty all day, I am sipping Water the whole time but my mouth is dry and I never feel that I had enough, I am actually sure that am not having enough because of my urine color (sorry for the TMI). my problem is the low intake of water in general and not only with food, I took one sip with food one time (only because I forgot) and it was so painful so am never doing it again for another 2 months until I heal completely.

Welcome ladykatie, So glad to have someone new join us. It's wonderful to have the support and share our experiences. I had my surgery May 5th and I actually have lazy bowels which makes us have opposite issues. As far as shutting off that valve I am not sure. I have been focused in opening mine (tmi). I am now on duco, miralax, Metamucil and just finished a prescription strength laxative. Amazingly I am still losing. I have lost 24.2 lbs since the day of my surgery. I am blown away by that amount. The nausea on the other hand I was prescribed the scopolamine patch for behind the ear and the dissolvable Zofran. Usually surgeons will call these prescriptions in without needing to see you. I did notice in the beginning sitting straight up was better when I tried to drink or eat. It helped with nausea/needing to vomit feeling. The Zofran worked pretty quick. I am on the puréed portion of the diet and will go to soft foods in about 8 days. I am 37 years old and live in California. Everybody asks me what do you want to get down to but what I have observed with others having this surgery is there bodies kind of determine that for them if they do all they should. I dunno maybe I'm wrong. I am currently a size 18 bottom and 14/16 top. I really haven't tried to put jeans on yet so I don't know if there looser but I already can see the physical change in myself. Yoga pants are my friend and sun dresses. Hope to learn more about you. Sincerely, Angelface811

No worries at this point I think tmi is out the window!! I also can't tell the difference between my images moving around in my body and the hunger feeling they are both so off and different it's like everything gargles now. Where before I just had the hunger gargle..... Hope that makes sense

DH = Darling Husband If you're anything like me, you'll be (as the title of this thread states) a horny lil toad LOL! They say that fat blocks the hormones, so I guess with the weight loss my hormones are running around having a party inside of me. That's fine by me. Just wish I could get my rocks off... Sorry, TMI...

OH....MY....GOODNESS!!! Very interesting article indeed! I've noticed this to be true for myself..watching tv, not hungry or snacky then the commercials start and I'm suddenly ravenous. Take a bite of something really decadent and throw furtive glances about, thinking, "where can I be all alone with this?" or actually feel...dare I say it....aroused?? TMI I know!...but how can food elicit such responses?? My mind acts very inappropriately at times...

Ok this might be a TMI question but how long was it before you had your first bowel movement? I was sleeved Monday the 25th and nothing much going on there except for passing gas. I have my follow up with my dr on April 4th. I wasn't really gonna worry too much about it till I go see my dr next week. Any thoughts? Thanx :-) Sent from my iPhone using VST

Tmi, tmi, tmi!!!!

Hi jankirby. We are on a very similar path. I'm a little envious that you get your staples out this week. Enjoy the freedom! My postop appointment is 2/26 so another week of metal tummy for me. The pretend itch gave me a chuckle. Thanks! I've been scratching areas that aren't itching but are somewhat near the itches and it almost helps. LOL. I've been taking less of the effexor, but they did change my script for the 2 weeks to make it crushable. I'm not good about the flavor and grit that comes from the crushable meds so I'm backing off a bit without stopping and will increment back up when I can swallow the pills. That reminds me that I have to call them about the Actigall that's supposed to prevent the gallstones. It's important enough that I want to take it and try to, but the flavor is overwhelming and stays in my mouth long after the quick swallow I try to take of it. I'm thinking of asking how harmful it would be to skip that until the 2 week postop when I'm allowed to swallow the pills again. It's the only thing that makes my stomach want to wretch. sorry if tmi. That said I'll go through it if they say I must. I don't want any more surgeries if I can prevent them. Surgery was one week ago and now am down 7 pounds post op. So cool. I got a little concerned that I was taking in too many calories, but read a lot all over the net and decided to chill out and go with it. The calories result from the liquids I'm ingesting to get to the 60-80g Protein and 50-64oz liquids. I'll just keep doing what I'm doing and not sweat the calories. The most was 700 one day, yesterday was a bit over 600. It's easy to get caught up in other folks info, and nothing wrong with learning from it, but must not compare as we're all individuals. Unless of course I was putting away so much that it would indicate a problem with the sleeve or taking in sugary things (no thanks, the RTD Proteins are sweet enough. I think the one thing keeping the calories a hair higher is that I choose 1% milk, 2% plain greek yogurt, etc. i'm deliberately not doing FF, but also not doing anything full fat. That's a personal choice. My body has historically reacted poorly to fat free living. Dry skin, foggy brain are a couple things that come to mind. That said, the choices I'm making fall within the dietary guidelines prescribed by my bariatric program so it's all good. Wishing a good, comfortable day to all! Time to go crush that yummy pill into the last sip of Protein Drink. Mmmmmm.

@@little_mrs We're all here to help, listen, commiserate and celebrate! It's really hard not to compare yourself with others here- I still do it at times, wondering how someone else who had their surgery at about the same time as me has lost so much more weight than I have before I shake my head and put things into perspective. Yep, I'm losing weight, which is fantastic. But what's even better is my blood sugars have dropped to normal proportions, my hip doesn't hurt anymore, and I actually saw the light (literally) between my thighs after I put on pantyhose the other day! (TMI for some, but hey, it was a major victory dance in the bathroom for me) Those kinds of things put a smile on my face- I try not to stare at scale numbers and attach my success to them.

Ok, so I figure it has been a couple of weeks, and I just wanted to update. I am now 10 wks preggo and have told just about everyone. This is the first...first for us, first grandbaby for both sets of our parents, and first great-grandbaby on my husband's side. Everyone is SOOO excited, and now I am terrified. I just can't seem to get much of my Protein in...everything that is good for me, turns my stomach. I've been pretty lucky, I really haven't thrown up much, but just the thought of food (especially protein) makes me ill. I'm even having trouble getting in all my fluids...I just want to hurl everytime I think about food or drinks. I feel like I'm already starting to show, but that could be because I am still loosing in certain areas, and gaining in the waist. I have continued to loose weight, which they said is pretty normal, but I am now down a total of 68 lbs overall (about 6 lbs since I found out)and have gained a total of 3 inches in my waist-line since I found out. I am REALLY excited that I got below 250. That is the lowest I've been in years!!!!People at work are really excited for me, (I'm a special ed teacher for moderate to profound disabilities) but they keep asking if I'm sure I'm pregnant (from the back) since my hips and butt keep disappearing. YEAH!! I am craving orange juice mostly, and have about a 1/2 cup a day for a treat...usually in the morning, cause I can't eat!! Ewww! I am also changing Ob's cause I hate the hospital my original OB delivers at. I have my first appointment with them on Wednesday. I may have to get that pushed up, cause I'm having trouble with a possible UTI. (Sorry, TMI). I Just want to say thank you for all the kind words, thoughts, and prayers! I don't regret this for a moment! This surgery has truely changed my life!

Monday, July 27, 2009 Getting Rid of the Crap Thought I'd give you a heads up on the topic today. In case you're squeamish. If you've ever been on the Atkins diet you know you lost weight but you probably also experienced constipation. You have to pick fibers that don't shoot up your blood sugar. I managed because I took ground flax seed and Psyllium Husk. I also found fish oil helped. Veggies and fruits are carbs and have to be limited on Atkins--especially fruit. I've never been that fond of salads and raw veggies, and fruit is limited because of its high sugar content. Not that fruit ever helped me with a lifelong constipation problem. I could eat a lb of grapes or cherries and see no impact. The food protocol for lap band is pretty close to the Atkins Diet. Protein first. Veggies and fruit in small quantities. Careful with the grains because they swell and stretch the stomach. Regular bread and rice can make you bp when they swell. Whole grains can be added cautiously to help control hunger after you've been on the band awhile and your stomach is healed. So enter my old enemy, constipation. Laxatives barely help. I've added fish oil back and just a little ground flax seed. I'm scared of the Psyllium Husk because I know it expands in water. I drink my V8 everyday as well as some diet V8 Splash to get my veggies. I do have some cooked broccoli and califlower and green beans. All fruit has to be peeled and raw veggies can hurt the stomach. I eat a lot of beans (not green ones), but all they do is make me fart. When I was a kid I was so constipated I only went 1x/wk after my big Sunday dinner. TMI, I know, but I gave you fair warning. Excercise is supposed to help but I'm walking and hour and fifteen minutes everyday. Big meals actually used to help me move it through but I can no longe eat big meals. I take a good multivitamin as well as calcium supplements and I get my dairy everyday, so I'm getting my nutrients. This whole subject gives new meaning to the phrase: this too shall pass. People do not like to be constipated. If you've ever dined in a nursing home you'll find prune juice to be a very popular item. I'd need to drink a quart. I'm finding it hard to come up with any kind of spiritual or tool for recovery meaning to apply to this topic. Constipation is just a fact of life that you have to experiment with until you get relief, whether you've had lap band or not. About the only metaphorical meaning I can come up with is that its important to get the crap in your life out of you. You need to do what it takes to get it moving on out or you'll end up with a sluggish brain and spirit and may actually end up with an impacted brain that's stuck on the same old ideas and ways of thinking and is not capable of changing for the better. Step 6 & 7 deal with becoming ready to have God remove all our defects of character and then humbly asking him to do so. Work the steps, pray, read your Bible, read spiritual books, talk to people who don't look like you or think like you, journal, take some risks, go on adventures, take care of yourself, peel away another layer and reveal yourself, have fun, and don't take yourself too seriously or waste time beating yourself or other people up. Love God above all and your neighbor as yourself.

Dominicana 88 Hi, I'm from San Pedro de Macoris I came to NYC when I was 10 yrs old. I did use first response Opk, I wasn't sure when i got them positive, if my body was doing what it was supposed to be doing, you know how pcos is...and after that we only did it twice that cycle during my fertile window, I wasn't even sure if i was ovulating for sure, and I stayed in bed after sorry tmi but I didnt go to pee after. I know yuck, I just clean in bed, somebody told no to pee after, so i pee before. I had my positive 8 days before my period, that is extremely early, n I couldn't believe it, so the next i went to clinic and pay 35 dollars for a same day results and it was positive. Be ready cuz, your miracle is coming soon! God bless you.

I shouldnt think TOM will be a problem,do you (sorry in advance Neal) use tampons? If so I would think that other than you not being entirely happy about the situation,it wont be a problem. Lets face it I am fully expecting to have not a shred of dignity at any stage in the process!!! Oh dear I hadnt even thought about actually getting up off the toilet, oh noooo (TMI WARNING) how are we going to wipe our tushes???? Think of the twisting involved there!!! Thats a grim thought......LOL How come you are wearing the compression garment for so long?

Neal - Do I do that? Do I ever stop doing that!!!! LOL I am getting obsessive about it :tongue: It may be TMI for you but I have heard that when they do a blokes version of a mons lift, it has a very positive effect on the outward apperance of the willy! Just thought you would want to know I had my consult and booked the surgery in October, and it seemed like a lfetime away, but I must say it has rocketed! I cannot belive that on Tuesday i am flying out for my pre-op and final consult, I hope he isnt disappointed in me, I saw him 2 weeks before I had the band fitted and I was so cocky, I really thought that I would have lost 30/40lb now, of course I hadnt reckoned on bandster hell and the lack of proper restriction! I am getting another fill while I am in Lyon so I hope ( fingers crossed) that I can lose another 10lb between now and surgery! I am getting my daughter to take some before pictures for me,but the only person that has any pre-band pictures is my PS as he took a load last time I was there. I will try to get a copy of them off him to spur me on!

I have a question for those experienced sleevers. Can certain foods give you the slimes? This morning was my first case of the slimes. I had 1/2 a scrambled egg w/cheese and a 1/2 piece of TJ's turkey bacon. That was it. TMI (sorry) I am gagging and spitting up all over the place. I have never had this before. I have eaten more quantity that this and it didn't happen. For example, on Sunday I ate 1/3 of a small Wendy's chili and all was good. Soup and food of the like seem to go down much better for me. I feel like I have a lump in my throat, too. It is slowly going away. I took a good long time to eat as well. I was cooking for the kids and doing laundry between bites. The lump feeling (not the slimes) happened with some roasted chicken as well. Maybe I just need to eat soup for the rest of my life?

I’m not gonna lie - the immediate aftermath wasn’t the most fun I’ve ever had. But I felt pretty good fairly quickly. My one piece of (very TMI) advice - stay ahead of constipation if you have it. That was my most unpleasant side effect.

I'm feeling better, but still not getting the required Fluid intake yet. I think I'm at 30oz. No attempts at Protein yet. I just left a message with the office for a call back. (TMI)I am concerned since I developed diarrhea yesterday, and its continued into today, with my current intake I may get dehydrated, so I wanted to know what they suggest at this point. I'm glad you are doing well, and thanks for asking!

Actually, no...just the opposite. I was very surprised. I guess when your underwear is a wedgie, there's no reason to pull it out. I still wear the old undies during housework, or to sleep if I'm wearing just a t-shirt and THOSE give me wedgies. One thing about the thongs is that I can only get them from LB. They're the only ones with enough wisdom to know that you need more material in the front to cover the belly - even if you don't want it in the back to cover the @$$. Other places don't use enough material and my belly fat hangs out from underneath. :biggrin: Attractive, eh? TMI? Although, to be honest, as I'm losing weight I need to get more. I've updated the sizing of my shirts and pants, but my bras and undies are sliding around on me. My boobs have extra material bunching up on top and around them, and my panties are sliding constantly to the left and right, and are so very uncomfortable! Anyone else dragging their feet about updating their drawers?

I fessed up to the NUT yesterday for my session. She said as long as it doesn't adversely effect you, such as are you getting all your liquids in? Does it set ok in your tummy? If so, a cup is just fine. For me, I am well over the 64 oz of liquids and have no acid reflux. I do take a chewable pepsid twice a day per my post op instructions. Another bonus is it helps me poop! I know TMI but it really does.

I haven't been on this site in months, but just wanted to chime in again for Mihela's sake and let her and well, all of you know that I'm just under a year out and still no fill. The loss has definitely slowed down, but i'm down about 90 pounds with no fill, so i'm very proud of that. I am hoping to lose another 10 pounds by my 1 year bandiversary, so fingers crossed. I can eat any type of food that i want to eat but the hunger monster in my head is still quiet. i don't constantly think about food and i rarely eat more than i should. (usually only that time of the month, sorry if that's tmi ) i still don't work out as much as i need to and while the weight loss has stalled, i haven't gained anything. i am still fat but I am so happy where i am that i'm honestly ok if i stay here for a while. it took me 30+ years to gain all of this weight, so i know it won't disappear over night i do have a lot of energy and i can walk everywhere without tiring or falling out of breath. life has really changed for me in the past 11 months. so, that's my no fill story so far. i hope it continues that way as I don't want to get a fill ever if i can help it.

Is anyone experiencing very toxic gas? Ever since my surgery I am very toxic. I googled it so I'm going to consult my PCP. Any suggestions??